R.I.P. Gene Hackman

Hoosiers and the Many Parts of our Character

The shocking death of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, deeply saddened me. Yes, he was 94, but he appeared in so many great movies throughout my life. But his role as Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers in 1986 is the one that immediately came to mind. Gene Hackman’s performance showed me how storytelling can draw in an audience and deliver a compelling message to make the world better. The first time I watched it, surprisingly, was in a high school government class.

Mr. MacArthur was an intimidating high school teacher. He was tall and a bit wide. His curly hair, shaved face and thick eyebrows framed his face as he spoke slowly, stretching out words at times while setting us up for a sharp loud word or two for emphasis. Each lecture he took us on an adventure, lulling us with information, questions and then shouting out answers. He did this in baggy flared jeans and a very long button down shirt that went over his belly.

I’m pretty sure he was a good teacher. I don’t remember the grade I got in his class, but I sure do remember him, as you can tell. But there are two things I remember vividly about his class and one was when a TV on a roller cart was wheeled into the classroom and he popped in Hoosiers (that’s how we watched movies back then!). This was a lesson on politics, he told us.

He got our attention. We watched the movie and he’d pause it to point things out and tied it to the class. That’s when I realized that yes, Hoosiers is a basketball movie, but it is so much more.

Hoosiers is About Politics

Coach Norman Dale was brought to a small town to bring the glory back to an Indiana town’s high school basketball team. There was a committee that voted on the replacement of the high school basketball coach. Coach Dale was brought in under protest, but, it turns out, the players liked him. Because success wasn’t immediate, some of the committee members, behind the scenes tried to get him removed. Coach Dale was caught in the political drama while trying to still do his job and turn the team around.

He built a coalition to fight off the calls of his firing. Meanwhile, he taught his players a team oriented system and brought them together. The team started winning but the behind the scenes politics was just too much.

There was a committee vote called and Coach Dale didn’t have the numbers. He was going to lose. But at the committee vote, the best player in town, Jimmy, showed up. He had stopped playing long before Coach Dale was around but now he was ready to play. This pleased the committee and showed that they were right in voting out Coach Dale. Except just one thing—Jimmy would play but only if Coach Dale stays. Surprise! Jimmy’s exact line was: “I play, Coach Stays. He goes, I go.”(This was sooo good!)

Here’s that very scene of the movie:

Hoosiers is Also About Character

Coach Norman Dale made mistakes. One of them was hitting a player. He was fired for doing so which is why he was available to take the coaching job in the Indiana high school. He knew he made a mistake and wanted to do better. All of that baggage came with him but so did his faith. It was not only within him but he and the team prayed together. Most of the time the father of a player, a preacher, led the team in prayer.

This sort of thing was a lot more common in the 1950s, the decade the story took place. But how much of our character follows us around? I often try, but fail, to be true to my faith in the various parts of my life. What I say or don’t say, do or don’t do, is a choice and I fail too often.

Watching Coach Dale struggle internally and externally through the movie showed me how character is formed. Often times, I hear people say that religion shouldn’t be in politics or in your job. And I agree. Religion isn’t in a job, it’s inside you. Your character goes with you, no matter where you are or who you are around. Character is a choice. And I have thousands of choices every single day to possibly screw up. Religion doesn’t dictate my choice, it informs it (if I let it).

One Choice (at a Time)

I don’t know how Gene Hackman led his life. But like Coach Dale in Hoosiers, we are an amalgamation of different parts of our lives. Don’t try to leave parts behind or silo them. Struggle with them, like Coach Dale, and live a long life knowing you really tried to do better, one choice at a time.

Peace.

P.S. Oh, that second thing I remember out of Mr. MacArthur’s class? I hate attention and I was called by him for getting the top grade on the constitution test. I think I missed two out of a hundred. One kid yelled “He cheated!” Mr. MacArthur asked, “Did you?” I shook my head, embarrassed. (And no, I didn’t cheat! Statute of limitations has far passed by now, anyway.)

P.S.S. The IMDB website lists 101 acting roles to Gene Hackman’s credit from 1961 to 2004. R.I.P Mr. Hackman and Betsy Arakawa.